The Love Maze

01 | "midnight rain and sunshine never eclipsed."

"I understand why this bitch-ass is shitfaced." The pale guy gestured with his signature pointing move toward Taehyung, who had his head tilted back, staring at the canteen ceiling as if counting pipes or vents. "The fuck made you down a barrel of Stolichnaya?"

The bitch-ass in question flipped Yoongi off with a puffed face and swollen eyes. Seokjin was a saint until Yoongi came. Taehyung, meanwhile, continued to stare into nothingness, his usual death-dementor gaze betraying no sign of inebriation. It was a bonus, Yoongi mused, that no one could ever gauge Taehyung's level of drunkenness. Yet, Yoongi could see through it; after all, he lived right next door. Correction. Bedroom, right next door. Taehyung slowly brought his heavy head to a few cracks in the ceiling, the angel wings in his ears swinging with each sway, and bitterly said, "Fucktards challenged us."

"Which ones?" Taehyung had never found anyone less than the fucktards category in his whole life. Even his friends couldn't escape it. Yoongi sipped from Namjoon's Stanley mug, earning a whine from the bespectacled male, and added, "Don't tell me. Is it the Ravendrews?"

"Fucking failures." Taehyung put his arms behind his head. "On the net. On the earth."

The Ravendrews High. Reputed to be vicious altogether that reaches Taehyung's pinky. Vile on volleyball matches, and insanely idiotic to throw challenges like breathing to Taehyung and his knowns, because they couldn't prove otherwise. How many times Taehyung could have landed in jail for dismembering them, if not, for his friends who would drag his wrathful self away, fearing an equal sentence for themselves. It was an endless war between them. Like for centuries. Taehyung found that the easiest perception of a heavy emotion when it came to the Ravendrews. Which was: make them taste sand. Not to lie but he loved the thrill. When he'd land an upper punch, feel that nose crack, and witness blood stained on his broken knuckles that he'd pose for victory. A sick cycle that silenced his demons, knowing, that these made him a demon.

Yoongi adjusted his beanie and clicked his tongue. "Given the history, they've failed again. But how are you going to celebrate now, knowing we've got four hours of calculus ahead?" He smirked, tapping his fingernails together in a makeshift rhythm.

"I think I'll tell Professor Ryu that I'm due for a coma after three this afternoon," Seokjin groaned, leaning against Namjoon, who straightened his back with a laugh. "Who gave her the right, honestly? People like her are why Mondays are so damn loathsome."

Namjoon sighed. "I love math as much as the next person, but I'm beat." He had been with Seokjin and Taehyung at their usual bar the previous night when the Ravendrews had appeared, their usual silly expressions and thirst for a fight evident. Namjoon had downed a few shots before Seokjin had taken over for him. "I'd hoped to sleep until a better day arrived, but of course, that didn't happen."

"I'm elated. And I don't even fancy studies." The pale male blew a kiss to heavens, making a fist, and says. "Maybe you should slam your head into those glass frames by the corridor, and end up in a coma for real."

Taehyung interrupts with his deep voice, "That won't land him in comatose," pointing at Seokjin.

"Then, jumping off the library building?"

"Not high enough." Taehyung tusks, resting his head on his palm.

"We could get him by that windmill."

Namjoon adds. "They've restricted entries."

"Maybe that—"

Seokjin snaps.

"Shut the fuck up, whores."

Yoongi breaks into a grin, and Namjoon exposes his dimples.

Taehyung stares blankly with a sore smirk.